Initiation
by Karuka Ikashi
Summary: Lovino is a dragon trapped in human form. When Captain Antonio rescues him and brings him to live with his pirates, he encourages Lovino to become an official member of the crew. But will Lovino be able to pass all the tests? AU. T for language/violence.
1. Introduction

**Initiation: Introduction**

Lovino of the Vargas clan was curled up on Antonio's nest, munching on a tomato the captain had given him and waiting for the other man to come into the room. It was a quiet day on the ship, and Lovino was enjoying the time to himself, though he couldn't help but feel a bit lonely. It was still hard for him to get used to his new life on this ship and being a free human. He hadn't always been this way. He hadn't always been a h uman at all. Before, he had spent a countless amount of time locked up in the dungeon of the wizard who had given him this form, powerless and terrified as he was trapped in an endless cycle of being harvested for his rare and valuable blood- the blood that remained that of a dragon even if he didn't look like one anymore. It had been a few months since the former dragon had been rescued by a certain pirate, and only recently that Lovino had decided that he could trust him. The Spaniard may have been strange and down-right annoying at times, but he had looked after him and during this whole ordeal, had never once given Lovino a valid reason to doubt him, as suspicious as the dragon could be. If the pirate had wanted to sell him or cast him off, he would have already done so by now, Lovino was convinced. When Antonio had first brought him on board, Lovino had assumed that he had just switched from imprisonment by one human to imprisonment by another. After all, why would a someone want a cursed dragon if not to gain something from it? But there had been no chains or cages. No drugs or knives. No reason to believe that Antonio intended to hurt him at all. Lovino had thought all humans were the same, but this one pirate had proven him wrong.

The captain finally entered the room in a bit of a rush, closing the door behind him and hanging up his prized red coat before making his way over to where Lovino was.

"You wanted to talk about something, bastard?" Lovino questioned between bites of his tomato. The pirate had asked him to wait here for him earlier that day, and Lovino had been doing just that, eating his way through a pile of tomatoes from which only this one remained. He gave Antonio a bored look as he rolled over onto his back and stared at the pirate upside-down with his unnaturally golden eyes. He winced slightly at the action and growled when Antonio came over and sat down next to him, carefully pulling up the dragon's shirt.

"Yes, but first, let me check you wound," the pirate said as he inspected the bandages over Lovino's ribs. The dragon frowned as the captain started peeling them back- it _hurt_dammit- but he didn't stop him. The man knew what he was doing, and as much as Lovino hated being fussed over like a hatchling, he trusted him. "Looking better," the pirate murmured as he examined the deep, stitched-up cut, "but you have to stop moving around so much or it'll open again."

"I feel fine," Lovino huffed stubbornly. He really just wanted to avoid more of that foul-smelling ointment, but Antonio was already going for the medical kit and taking it out along with some fresh bandages. The dragon growled and attempted to roll away, but the pirate put a hand on his shoulder and gently kept him in place.

"Come on, Lovi…I know you don't like this stuff, but you need it to make you feel better. You do want to get better, don't you?"

The dragon scoffed and looked away.

"Don't call me that ridiculous nickname, dammit."

"'Lovi'? But why not? It's so cute! Like you."

Lovino spat some fire in the air, earning a look of disapproval from the captain, but fuck if he cared.

"I'm not _cute,_dammit! I don't know why the hell you keep saying that."

Lovino hated this body. For him, there was nothing attractive about it. It was his weak, pathetic prison, and there was nothing he longed for more than to break free from it and return to the form in which he truly belonged. He didn't expect the pirate to understand that, though.

"Alright, calm down, Lovi, erm, Lovino," Antonio replied, eyes glinting with amusement at the dragon's glare. "I need you to hold still for a moment."

Lovino continued to scowl at the man, but finally just humped and hissed as Antonio spread the stinging ointment over his wound.

"You fought well yesterday," the pirate told him as he began to wrap the fresh bandages around the slighter man's torso, prompting Lovino to sit up a little so he could reach around his back. "The crew was impressed. You've learned how to handle a sword properly, and you're faster than most of the men on this ship."

"Heh. I hate that stupid hunk of metal. Weapons are a cowardly way to fight…but I suppose without real teeth or claws, there's not much of a choice."

Antonio chuckled and finished bandaging his newest crew member, laying him back down on the bed.

"I don't care how you fight as long as you don't burn down my ship. And be more careful! You made your captain worry so much yesterday!"

Lovino scoffed. He didn't know why Antonio cared so much. Men like those in the crew died all the time. The dragon didn't expect to last long if he continued this kind of life, but it wasn't as if he had anywhere else to go. For the moment, he was satisfied with the food, warmth, and protection provided here- especially so soon after his escape when it was still dangerous to be out in the open. These pirates may have been barbaric and hard to get along with, but at least they were elusive. No one would ever find him here…

Antonio smiled and pushed the bangs back from Lovino's forehead. The dragon's golden eyes locked with his, and Lovino sighed, letting the air out slowly so as to not aggravate his injury. Antonio's own eyes widened in curiosity, and he ran his hand back over the other's head experimentally while Lovino rested without protest. For once, he didn't smack Antonio's hand away or snarl at the pirate for touching him, which was the reason for the pirate's fascination. He could rarely ever lay a hand on the dragon without fear of losing it, and even treating his wounds made him nervous sometimes. Today, however, Lovino was allowing it. This was strange, but it was…comfortable. Or at least not as awkward as it had once been. The dragon wasn't in the mood to fight it, anyway.

"You're an important part of this crew, you know," Antonio said as he stroked him. "That's why I've decided- you're ready for your initiation."

The dragon stared at him.

"'Initiation'? What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Well," Antonio began, "every pirate has to go through it. It's a ritual by which you become an accepted, permanent member of the crew."

Lovino scoffed.

"I doubt some stupid human ceremony is going to make those bastards like me any better. The assholes hate my guts."

"The crew does not _hate_you ," Antonio said, his expression hardening. "They just need more time to get used to you."

"Huh. And how long do you think that'll take, _'Captain'_? It's been months now. I'm just too fucking different."

"You're special," the Spaniard told him. "One of a kind. But you can be one of us too. That's what the Initiation is all about."

"And what if I don't want to do it?" Lovino questioned, giving him a challenging look. "What if I don't want to be 'permanent'?"

The pout on Antonio's face was sadder than Lovino expected. What would the captain do? Would he tell Lovino that he had no choice in the matter? Would he tell him he had to stay? The dragon bared his teeth slightly, but the pirate's answer caught him a bit off-guard.

"I can't force you to stay forever," the captain told him, "but as long as you live on this ship, you're one of my men. We have a duty to each other. I'll protect you and look after you in every way I'm able, and in return, you'll fight for me and protect your crewmates the same way you did yesterday."

"I didn't do it for them," Lovino growled stubbornly. "They were going after the damn tomatoes."

Antonio laughed loudly at that. Of course, the idiot of a captain had been there too. They had both been standing at the door to the kitchen when the rival pirates had invaded their ship. They had been badly out-numbered, and their enemy had fought ruthlessly, but Lovino hadn't allowed them to go further into his new territory. He had fought back, both with his sword and with his own power. The fire of "a demon" had been enough to scare off the less bold, but a few had stayed behind to try their hand at slaying him. Only one had landed a successful blow, and that had been while Lovino had been too distracted…defending the tomatoes, of course.

"Alright, then. You protect the tomatoes, and I'll take care of the rest," Antonio smiled, looking at him warmly. "All I ask for is a little loyalty."

Lovino huffed, well aware that the pirate was humoring him. They both knew that the only tomatoes they'd had the past few days had been the ones from the harbor this morning. There hadn't been any on board last night…but fuck if Lovino was going to admit that he'd been protecting anything else.

"Whatever," he muttered.

"Besides, why would you want to leave? You have all the tomatoes you can eat right here! Most of the time anyway…And we rarely ever run out of meat."

He grinned, thinking he had found out just how to bribe the dragon, but Lovino was still giving him an impassive look followed by a frown.

"That's a valid reason, all right," he scoffed, but admitted to himself that the captain might have known him better than he liked.

"Will you think about it, then?" Antonio asked, placing a hand lightly over Lovino's bandaged area. "I want you to start feeling more accepted around here."

"That's not going to happen," Lovino scoffed. Then after a moment, "…but I'll think about it."

Then Antonio did one of his many strange human things and pressed his lips to Lovino's forehead. The dragon just stared at him, wondering why he had never seen another human do this to someone. He supposed the other men around him were never friendly enough to do such things. He didn't exactly live with the warmest bunch.

"Gracias, Lovi," the pirate said, ignoring the glare the dragon gave him for the name. "Get some rest now. I'll come get you when it's time for dinner."

Lovino grunted and watched him leave. He didn't understand the sudden empty feeling when the pirate shut the door behind him, but it seemed to happen a lot whenever Antonio left him alone. _Stupid human…_ Lovino closed his eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep, considering the captain's proposal as he did so and wondering what they'd be serving in the mess hall that night.

* * *

><p>AN: Hope you're enjoying this AU. I've always liked dragons, so Dramano is very enjoyable to write. He has a very different view of the world from any other Romano I've done, and it's fun to build on his character. The idea for this world came from a Halloween event on the site I roleplay on. Everyone had to choose a role, so for Romano, I chose the dragon. Spain chose the pirate, and England chose the wizard. The bigger story goes into more detail on there, but for now I just wanted to write a short story about this chapter of Lovino's life while he's still getting used to living with the pirate crew and being human. Stick around for more soon~


	2. Chapter 1: The Challenge

**Chapter One: The Challenge **

Lovino couldn't believe he was doing this. He had sworn to himself that he'd never do anything just to make a bunch of stupid humans happy, and yet, here he was, giving in and adapting himself to their strange ways. It had taken a lot of pestering and convincing on Antonio's part to finally get him to agree to go through with the initiation, but the dragon still doubted it was a good idea. Would his crewmates mock him for trying to become one of them when he obviously was nothing close to a real pirate? Even if the captain dressed him like one, inside, Lovino would always be a dragon. There was no helping that. No ceremony was ever going to make him more human. But it was worth a try. Lovino really didn't see what he had to lose when half the men on the ship still saw him as an animal, though none dared to say so out loud with Antonio around. _I'll show them…They won't be able to say I'm not part of the crew after this, anyway._

Maybe Lovino wasn't even really doing this for them anymore. He had spent long enough on this ship; it was about time he was shown some respect, and if this was the only way to get it, then so be it. It was only one night after all.

/

It had been several days since the rivals had attacked the ship. Repairs had been made, provisions had been restocked, and every crew member that had survived was recovering quickly, Lovino included. It seemed the dragon healed faster than most people thanks to the magic in his blood. It didn't mean that Antonio stopped fussing over him, though. He was doing it now as Lovino sat on his bed.

"Are you sure you feel okay?" the captain asked for the third time that day.

"I told you, I'm _fine, _dammit," the dragon growled. "Are we going to start already?"

"Patience," Antonio chuckled, removing Lovino's bandages for the last time. "Looking great today! I still can't believe it healed that quickly."

"Don't touch it," Lovino muttered as the captain's fingers hovered over the sensitive new skin of the tender area.

"Don't worry," Antonio replied, drawing his fingers back. "I'm just glad to see you're getting better, Lovi."

"Don't _call _me that, bastard!"

Antonio laughed and leaned back from the warning flames Lovino blew in his direction. By now the captain was used to this.

"Sorry! Sorry…"

"Are you done now? I want to get this over with."

"Now, now," Antonio chided. "There's one more thing you need."

Walking over to the wardrobe, he opened it up, taking out a fresh change of clothes, nothing too formal, but a bit nicer than what the dragon was wearing at the moment. Lovino frowned instantly. He hated uncomfortable clothes, or "skins," as he called them. The dragon really saw no point in them, and he was more than a little reluctant to wear them.

"I'm not putting those on, dammit," he growled as Antonio approached him holding an outfit Lovino already knew he would look ridiculous in. "I'm not going to give the crew another reason to laugh at me."

"They wouldn't dare," the captain answered, laying the clothes next to him on the bed. "Now get dressed. I can't present you to the crew until you're ready."

"I don't want to," the dragon protested stubbornly, pushing the clothes away.

"Lovino," Antonio started, pleading but firm, "it's only for one night. You can take them off as soon as the ceremony is over."

The dragon stared at him and frowned. He knew the captain wouldn't force him to do anything he really hated. Antonio respected him that much at least, and Lovino couldn't help but be secretly grateful for that. Maybe the clothes weren't such a big deal.

"This is so stupid," Lovino muttered, but he pulled off his shirt and allowed Antonio to help him into the new skins. He was perfectly capable of dressing himself by now, but the bastard seemed to enjoy doing this, so Lovino let him. After the captain had smoothed out his shirt and tied a sash around his waist, he took a comb and started running it through Lovino's hair, taking care to avoid that strange curl that triggered an aggressive reaction in the dragon that Antonio still wondered about. He wasn't willing to lose another burnt-up shirt trying to solve this mystery at the moment, though.

"There! Ready! Shall we go?"

Lovino grunted and slowly followed his captain out the door, dragging his feet and still feeling like a fool. The sooner this was over, the better.

/

The two of them stood on the upper deck, looking down at the men below them. The sun was setting already, and there were torches carefully set up around the main part of the deck where everyone was working or lounging about. Antonio approached the railing overlooking the main part of his ship and bellowed down loudly to his crew, calling them to gather in the center of the vessel and listen to what he had to say.

"Señores, su capitán les habla!"

The dragon walked up to stand beside him, watching his crewmates. The men stopped what they were doing and came to stand before their captain, looking up at him expectantly. Lovino's eyebrows were furrowed as he shifted next to the Spaniard, subconsciously pulling at the itchy skins he had dressed him in. Lovino hated this…What was the point of wearing such ridiculous clothing in front of a bunch of humans who rarely remembered to dress their top half anyway? He thought he could hear some of them snickering quietly amongst themselves on the lower part of the deck. Lovino glared down at them as Antonio placed a hand on his shoulder. The pirate didn't look at him, but the dragon knew he was trying to reassure him somehow. He wasn't entirely comforted with all the eyes staring up at him, though.

"This evening is an important one for our newest crew member. You've all met Lovino Vargas; he's been living among us for a while now, but tonight, he becomes a full-fledged member of our crew. From now on, you must treat him as such and show him the respect of a fellow pirate."

There were murmurs all around the deck. Of course they knew who he was. Lovino had already been living among them long enough for them to know what he was too. And despite the fact that Lovino was growing used to life on this ship, it was just as difficult for Antoni's men to adjust to living with a dragon, if not more. There were few men that would even talk to him. Lovino was certain the ones who weren't afraid of him still despised him, but he didn't care. Why should he give a shit about what some stupid humans thought of him?

One thing Lovino had noticed, however, was how loyal most of the men acted towards Antonio, despite the times when the dragon doubted they would comply. No one said anything for a moment, not daring to question the captain's decision, but there was always at least one stupid person who had to be different, and it was no surprise to the dragon who it turned out to be this time.

"Wait just a minute," an angry voice growled. "You're just going to let him in? Just like that? That's bullshit! The rest of us all had to pass a series of tests before we were allowed to be part of this crew. Why should he be any different? This is unfair special treatment!"

Lovino's whole body tensed defensively. He glared down at the offender, but his anger was broken when he sensed a change in the body next to him. Turning, he saw Antonio's green eyes blaring with anger one moment and then calm and cold the next. He watched the captain curiously and fidgeted a bit as the other spoke. Antonio rarely ever intimidated him, but the dragon couldn't deny that the other man built up a frightening aura when he was angry.

"Raul," Antonio started, his voice dropping down a bit but still loud enough for the person he was addressing to hear, "are you questioning your captain? I think perhaps you'd like to take a walk down the plank. No? Then how about you keep your mouth shut and not speak out against your captain's decisions?"

The man on the lower deck gritted his teeth and seemed to reconsider his actions for a moment, but that stubborn look never faltered. He stepped forward boldly, ignoring the other crewmembers staring at him, and locked eyes with Antonio before giving Lovino a look of disgust.

"Forgive me, Captain," he said in mock apology. "I forgot your precious pet had special privileges. Of course he shouldn't have to pass the same tests as the rest of us."

Something inside Lovino snapped, and all at once, he was rushing forward, spewing flames as he lunged. Antonio had to hold him back to keep him from throwing himself down onto the lower deck at Raul, but it wasn't easy. The dragon was strong when he was angry and his blood was pumping fiercely throughout his body. He almost pulled the pirate down with him as he struggled to reach the man below them.

"I'M NO ONE'S PET!" he roared as the men looked at him in different levels of fear. Some were more concerned about the ship burning down than they were about the argument happening before them.

"Calm down, Lovi," Antonio ordered quietly before glaring down at Raul. "You'll hold your tongue unless you want to lose it," he threatened.

Raul just scoffed, but didn't say anything. Lovino managed to shove Antonio off him and threw the captain a reproachful look.

"I'm not afraid," he growled at him before turning to the crew. "Do you hear me? I'm not afraid of your fucking tests! If that's what it takes, then I'll do it, dammit!"

"Lovino," Antonio started, but he couldn't finish. Not after Lovino had made an announcement like that. The dragon knew it. The crew would only look down on their captain if he continued to insist that Lovino be exempted from the trial. He and Antonio exchanged a long look- his challenging and full of pride while Antonio's was firm and serious. Lovino could sense the fear within him though. The captain was worried about him.

"Very well," Antonio finally called loudly so the crew could hear him. "Lovino will undergo the full initiation. Set a course for the nearest island. The ordeal begins tomorrow night!"

There were murmurs among the men below them. Most of them seemed to approve of the new decision. Lovino snorted in contempt and left the deck, making his way back to Antonio's room. After making sure the crew was busy and working again, the captain soon followed him.

Lovino settled down on the Spaniard's bed, already helping himself to the tomatoes on the bedside table. He had taken over Antonio's bed since the very first day he had been brought on board, and the captain hadn't been allowed to sleep in it for weeks after. Now that Lovino trusted the pirate more, Antonio could at least sit on it and even stay for the night as long as he gave the dragon his space. There was only one exception where the pirate was permitted to be close, and that was-

"There's a storm coming tonight," Antonio said.

Lovino stiffened, tomato pressed to his lips. The dragon hated storms, especially those that came with so much fucking thunder and lightening, though he had never explained to the pirate exactly why. Some memories were just better left locked away.

He huffed and turned on his side, away from the pirate, spilling tomato juice onto the sheets uncaringly. He could feel the bed sink as Antonio sat down near him and growled a little around the tomato when the other put a hand on his shoulder.

"Lovino, are you sure you want to do this? It's going to be really dangerous, and I'm worried that-"

"What?" Lovino snapped suddenly, squeezing the fruit he held so hard that its flesh squished in between his fingers. He rounded on the other man and glared daggers at his captain. "You think I can't do it? I think some stupid human test is too hard for me?"

Antonio winced slightly but he met Lovino's fierce gaze with a serious expression.

"You could die. Do you think I rescued you from that prison just to watch your life end here? You don't _have_to do this! It's foolish and unnecessary!"

The dragon let out a frustrated grunt and threw the tomato away.

"You just don't get it do you?" Lovino growled, straightening himself up on the bed and curling his lip. "Those bastards are never going to accept me if you keep treating me like a fucking child. I can't just take the easy way out, dammit! I hate that bastard Raul, but he's right! Giving me a free pass is no way to prove I'm a pirate. Sure, it'd be easier. You think I don't know that? Doing this might sound stupid to you, 'foolish,' 'unnecessary'…You can call it what you want, but to me, there's no fucking choice! Even if I do this, I doubt they'll see me as any more than your damn '_pet_,' but if I don't, then there's no way they _ever_ will!"

His heart was pounding with his fury and his breathes were coming out shorter, but the dragon still kept that hard look in his eyes. If they didn't at least acknowledge him after this, then he really stood little chance. The dragon would show them what he was capable of . Lovino was confident that he could pass any test for humans. It really couldn't be that hard.

Antonio stared at the other man for a moment silently. Lovino met his green eyes challengingly, pulling his lips back into a stubborn frown as he dared the captain to contradict him. Antonio leaned a bit closer to him and sighed. Then, without warning, he sprang towards Lovino, capturing him in a hug.

"Aw, Lovi! You really want to be a pirate, don't you?"

"LET ME GO, YOU BASTARD!" the dragon roared.

Despite the storm, that night ended with Antonio sleeping on the floor and a charred hole scorched in his new shirt.

tbc

/

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I hope you're enjoying this fic so far. Any guesses about the tests Lovino will have to pass? If you're curious about the origins of "Dramano," please check out the link on my profile under **Fanfic Extras**. Thanks, and enjoy!

-**K.I.**


	3. Chapter 2: The Trial Begins

**Chapter 3: The Trials Begin**

"Move your feet!"

The sound of steel hitting steel echoed across the deck of the ship as Antonio and Lovino sparred. The dragon gripped his sword tightly, gritting his teeth and pushing hard against the Spaniard's blade as the other held him in a lock. His arms trembled for a moment but then went stiff and forced Antonio back without much effort. Lovino was a lot stronger than he looked, though it took a lot of anger to awaken his true strength in a fight. Right now he was just annoyed that his captain was yelling orders at him.

"Bend your knees! Don't push against me so hard or you'll lose your balance!"

Lovino growled and just pushed against him harder. Antonio quickly took a step back and let his sword slip out of the lock, sending the dragon tumbling forward. Lovino caught himself on his palms and looked up to see the other man pointing his sword right between his eyes. The dragon froze, staring at the blade fearfully.

"I told you…"

"S-shut up, bastard!" Lovino snapped suddenly, breaking free of his trance and smacking his hand against the flat of Antonio's blade. "I just wasn't ready, dammit!"

"You always have to be ready," the Spaniard said with a frown. "Your enemy won't wait for you, Lovi."

Antonio let out a small gasp as the smaller man suddenly leapt to his feet and swung his weapon at him fiercely. Lovino was fairly fast when he wanted to be, though his movements were still rather clumsy. Getting used to how his human body moved had been a challenge for the former dragon, but he had adapted quickly. He had gone from being about as agile as a toddler to climbing the masts in only a few weeks, despite still being far from graceful most of the time. Antonio had helped him when Lovino permitted, but the dragon preferred to learn how to manage himself on his own. Even now, he wasn't much of a swimmer thanks to his reluctance to let Antonio handle him, but he could at least keep himself from drowning in calm water. The dragon valued his independence, and he wouldn't let anyone make him feel helpless.

Antonio blocked Lovino's swings and attempted to come around Lovino, but the dragon refused to turn his back on him. The Spaniard smiled in satisfaction and went back on the offensive, forcing Lovino to block his swings until the other panted from exhaustion. Still, Lovino didn't let up. Even as his face turned red and sweat dripped down his body, he continued to fight his captain. His blows became more desperate and uncoordinated, but they were still enough to keep Antonio on his feet. It didn't stop the pirate from shouting more commands at him though.

"Raise your arms up higher! Follow through with your swings! Keep yourself more balanced!"

Lovino had had enough. Soon Antonio was hitting the deck as he took cover from a stream of flame shot as a warning over his head. The captain stared wide-eyed in horror at Lovino, first in shock, then in anger. He knew the dragon hadn't intended to hurt him, but it had still been a reckless move on his part.

"Lovino!" he scolded, letting the dragon know he was serious by forgoing the embarrassing nickname. "You know this ship is made of wood! You can't go breathing fire like that whenever you like!"

The dragon snorted.

"I'll do what I want, bastard. Don't try to order me around! I'm not going to sink your fucking boat, dammit."

Antonio frowned at him, stood up, and dusted himself off. The look he gave Lovino was dangerous, but the dragon was far from intimidated. He could sense the softness under Antonio's scowl, and even though he didn't understand why the pirate was so lenient when he came to him, Lovino knew the captain wouldn't punish him. It would have made more sense if he could smell fear coming off the other man, but there was nothing like that, so the dragon was just left confused.

"If this ship goes down you go with it," the captain finally sighed. "Just remember that."

Lovino let out a grunt and turned away, pretending he didn't care. He heard Antonio coming up behind him, and then, there was a hand on his shoulder. The dragon curled his lip and swatted it away, but Antonio gave his shoulder a tight squeeze before letting go.

"That's enough training for now. I don't want to tire you out before your first test."

Lovino's look of disinterest disappeared, and he turned his head towards Antonio curiously.

"What am I going to have to do?"

"It's a special mission that you have to complete by yourself. You'll find out more as soon as we get to land. We should be dropping the anchor soon," the pirate replied, gesturing towards the island that was now in their sights.

Lovino followed the direction he was pointing in and growled. Why couldn't the bastard just tell him now? Maybe this was the captain's way of punishing him or something. The dragon opened his mouth to complain, but Antonio was already walking away and shouting orders at his men. Lovino gritted his teeth and decided his time was better spent in the kitchen, pillaging tomatoes. Never mind that the food was supposed to be rationed until they reached the next port. It seemed he would be needing his strength, after all…

The sun was already setting by the time Antonio's crew reached the shore. Lovino leapt out of the small rowboat and onto the shore, grateful to be on firm ground but nervous about it at the same time. He always felt much safer when he was out at sea, though he had never been very fond of water before being turned human. The sea was such a massive place. No landmarks. No easy way to be traced. It was perfect for someone who didn't want to be found.

Still, being back on solid ground had its advantages. No rocking, for one. Lovino didn't really get seasick unless the ocean was rough, but he still appreciated the earth beneath him not moving. He was of a Fire Clan and not the kind of dragon that belonged on the water.

He heard Antonio come up behind him and felt the other put a hand on his shoulder.

"Are you ready?" the captain asked.

"Yeah," Lovino grumbled. "Let's just get this over with."

Antonio nodded and ordered the pirates to gather together on the sandy coast. Only a few men had come as witnesses. The rest were still waiting on the anchored ship, guarding it while the captain was gone. Daylight was fading fast, but the captain was still visible standing next to Lovino, whose golden eyes glinted like a cat's as he looked at the other men around him.

"Bueno," Antonio said once everyone was assembled. "You all know how this works. The new crew member must pass this test of true piracy. And he must do it on his own. No man is allowed to give him aid of any kind until the trial is completed. When this phase of his ordeal is over, he will return to this spot to receive his next task until all three challenges have been met. And it must all be done before the sun rises. Is this clear, Lovino?"

"Yes," Lovino responded loud enough for the crew to hear.

"Very well," the captain continued. "The first task is to retrieve some valuables from one of the houses on this island. There are several wealthy people living further in the town near here. Bring back some gold and jewels- as much as you can carry- and then, share the treasure with your crewmates. You can begin as soon as you are ready."

"I am ready."

"Then…go!"

/

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Just a short chapter this time. From now on Lovi's trials will begin! More coming soon! Thanks for reading~**

**-K.I.**


	4. Chapter 3: First Test

**Chapter 3: First Test**

Lovino immediately dashed off in the direction of the village. The darkness would give him good cover once he got there, but he'd still have to be careful. It wouldn't be easy to sneak into a human home unnoticed. He'd have to choose one that was unoccupied or large enough for him to slip into without disturbing anyone.

Lovino reached the village at last and lurked in the shadows of the wealthiest neighborhood as he tried to choose a target. He could only tell these were higher class dwellings by the signs Antonio had taught him in the past- larger properties, multiple methods of transportation, and more uncomfortable clothing on the occupants. Lovino wrinkled his nose at the thought of more itchy skins and was glad that he didn't have to wear any for this task. He was dressed all in black, reminiscent of the black scales he had once had, perfect for disappearing in to the darkness.

He finally settled on a house and peeked over the fence surrounding the yard behind it. He could smell a dog, but he was upwind of it, wherever it was. The only lights on in the house were those downstairs. He could hear at least two people talking in the room with the largest window and could smell the scent of cooked meat and vegetables even at this distance. It was their dinnertime. A perfect opportunity. Lovino took one last glance around to make sure the dog wasn't anywhere near and climbed down from the fence as quietly as possible before making his way across the field. The voices grew louder, and the dragon crouched in the shadows, staying well away from the windows. He had to get up to the second floor somehow…

Lovino scoured the side of the building, looking for a way up. What he wouldn't have given to be able to fly right then…but his human limbs were good for one thing- and that was climbing. It had taken a lot of practice to be about to achieve any sort of agility in this clumsy form, but Lovino had been stubborn enough to keep at it, training himself harder and harder until he had learned to control his body, starting with learning how to walk on two legs. Now his favorite places on the ship were those up high on the masts or in the crow's nest when it was unoccupied. His sight landed on a tree when he turned around the next corner, and after hesitating a moment to make sure it was safe, Lovino bolted for the trunk and immediately began to climb. The people downstairs carried on undisturbed, enjoying their dinner while Lovino crept in through the open window on the second floor. The dragon's eyes adjusted easily to the darkness as he glanced around the bedroom he was in, trying to determine where the valuables were most likely to be hidden. He grabbed one of the soft pillows of the large nest and pulled its skin free. Now he had something to carry things in. Lovino tried to remember what sorts of items held the most worth to humans. They sounded similar to the things his clan used to hoard in their den…Antonio mentioned gold and jewels, so at least Lovino knew what he was looking for, though it may be hard to find in this place. There was a box sitting on the dresser on the other side of the room. Lovino lifted the lid and found it filled with jewelry. _Perfect._Lovino emptied the box into his pillow-skin and resumed his search. Rings, watches, small figures...If it glinted or shone, the dragon added it to his stash. As long as he brought back enough for everyone, they'd be satisfied, he hoped. But what about Antonio? These small trinkets seemed like nothing compared to what the captain already possessed. Would he be happy with just this? He'd better…

Lovino did one last sweep of the rooms on the top floor before heading back to the window near the tree. He held onto his bag of stolen goods as he jumped back into the branches and quietly crept down. The wind was picking up. It blew a new scent to Lovino just as he reached the bottom of the trunk that made the dragon suddenly freeze. _Tomatoes._ There was a tomato patch on the side of the house. The dragon hadn't noticed it before, but now that he did, his mouth watered. _The bastard can't complain if I bring him back some of those,_Lovino thought with a smirk. Not to mention…he still had a dozen or so to replace after last night's kitchen raid. He crouched down low and dashed off in the direction of the scent.

Here they were. Red, juicy, tender, and well-tended. Even the dragon was impressed by the quality. He went to work grabbing them immediately, picking fruit after fruit off of the plants and depositing them on top of the gold and jewels in the sack. They smelled so good, dammit…The dragon's stomach growled hungrily, and as soon as his sack was full, Lovino took one of the few remaining tomatoes and sunk his teeth into it. _Amazing._He couldn't help himself; he wanted more. Lovino feasted in the garden, giving little thought to the time he was taking and even less to the security until suddenly, the guard dog he had scented earlier came barreling towards him, barking loudly. Lovino froze in place, startled, but as soon as he turned in the direction of his attacker, the dog stopped, as if having second thoughts about attacking this not-so-human intruder. The dragon growled at it, golden eyes glaring, and he spat a short burst of fire before him, settling the dog's doubts and sending it whimpering away with its tail between its legs. The dragon snorted in contempt…but the damage had been done. Lovino was blinded by a bright beam of light that shone in his face as the humans inside the house came to investigate the noise. Lovino squinted against it and heard a man's angry voice before he was even able to see him clearly.

"Who's out there? Hey! You!"

_Shit._

Lovino broke into a run, but something hard hit him on the back of the knees, and he stumbled forward, dropping his bag. Lovino hissed and fumbled to pick it up and grab the tomatoes that had rolled out, when suddenly, a much larger man was behind him, pinning him down. He landed a solid blow to the back of Lovino's head, making it throb in pain as the dragon grunted against the grass.

"Dirty thief," the stranger growled before yelling back to the other person within the house. "Stay back, dear! Go call the police!"

Lovino struggled violently, trying to get the man to release him.

"Let me go, dammit! I'll fucking kill you!"

But the man he was stealing from wasn't playing games. He sat himself firmly on Lovino and pulled the dragon's arms behind his back.

"Shut up," he growled. "The only place for trash like you is behind bars."

Lovino went stiff. His struggle was momentarily halted as an image of a cage came back to him –cold, dark, lonely- …he'd be trapped. _No, no, fuck not again,_his mind begged and fear turned into rage as the dragon renewed his fighting, feeling himself growing stronger by the second. His muscles tightened. He could feel his teeth and nails growing longer, sharper. A full transformation wouldn't do here, so he had to keep himself under control. The only thing that mattered was getting the hell out of there. Lovino was still for only a moment longer before he suddenly turned and rolled, using his new strength to knock his attacker off him. The man shouted in surprise and fell down onto the grass next to Lovino. The dragon reached for his bag and prepared to run, but the human grabbed a hold of his ankle and effectively brought him back down. Lovino swore and kicked at the man, but it was no good- the bastard had a hold of both of his legs by now. Lovino turned his head.

It wasn't a good idea. He didn't want to resort to it, but it seemed he was out of options. He usually avoided doing this in front of strange humans, but he felt as if he had no choice. Sitting up, the dragon opened his mouth and without warning, sent a stream of fire at this assailant. He didn't care how badly he had burnt him. As soon as the man was rolling on the ground screaming and trying to put out the flame on his clothes, Lovino made a mad dash for the fence. He could still hear shouts behind him as he scaled the fence and made off with the stolen goods. _Damn, that was close!_

He kept running for all he was worth, deciding he'd had enough of this thievery game for one night. He wanted to get as far away from these strange humans as possible and back to the rowdy bunch he had left behind. By the time he made it back to Antonio and the waiting pirates, he was gasping for breath. Antonio held onto his shoulder worriedly, supporting him.

"Lovi! Lovino, are you okay?"

The dragon grunted and tossed his loot on the sand, where it was promptly attacked by the greedy hands of the crew. Lovino glared at them but didn't make a move to stop them. He was slightly amused by the looks on their faces when the first tomatoes tumbled out.

"Captain…you might want to take a look at what kind of 'treasure' your new crew member brought in," one growled.

Antonio looked rather surprised, but he wasn't angry. In fact, he was smiling a bit, eyeing the plump red fruits with pleasure.

"Buen echo, Lovi," he laughed. "You found some rather tasty treasure after all."

"Oh, hell no," Raul snarled. "The rest of us had to bring something with _real_worth back to the ship. Not a few tomatoes from someone's garden!"

Antonio glared at him, but Lovino only scoffed.

"Try looking through the rest of it first, bastard," the dragon growled.

The men overturned the remainder of the sack and out tumbled the jewelry and other valuables Lovino had managed to plunder.

"Well, there's your treasure," Antonio said with a smirk. "Remember, the real point of this test is to prove that the new pirate is brave enough to break into a private place and find something of worth to share with the rest of the crew. Lovino has met the requirements. Now go ahead and take your share, all of you!"

Lovino shook his head as the men argued over how to divide up the booty. No one was really satisfied with the tomatoes, but Antonio picked one up and eyed it admiringly.

"So far so good," he told Lovino. "Think you're ready for the next step?"

The dragon huffed. "Give me a few minutes to catch my breath first, bastard."

As the captain fussed over Lovino, who adamantly protested having the bump on the back of his head examined, a certain crew member was plotting, gripping the only part of the treasure he'd been allowed to keep- a gold-plated toothbrush- in his hand. Soon, he thought, the chance he was waiting for was coming…

tbc


	5. Chapter 4: The Duel

**Chapter 4: The Duel**

Torches lit the sandy beach as the crew gathered and formed a ring around Lovino. The challenger had yet to be chosen, but the dragon knew it would most likely be one of the men who were the most eager to be rid of him. Antonio had moved all the men further down the shore to a spot on the beach that was a bit more secluded, should any strangers wander by. Lovino was still nervous about being chased by the humans he had stolen from earlier, but the captain had reassured him that he would watch out for everyone and keep the crew safe. Now they were ready to begin the next test. Even though the dragon was confident, Lovino had to admit he was a bit nervous as well. Okay, very nervous. So fucking nervous, but he dared not let it show.

"Everything's been prepared," Antonio said. Was his voice shaking? If it was, it immediately stopped as he addressed his men. "_Mis marinos!_It's time for us to begin the next phase of this initiation. As you know, to be a true pirate takes not only nerves and wit- it also requires strength. Tonight a fight will take place, and the victor of that fight will get to choose whether the loser lives or dies. Should Lovino succeed, he will move on to the third and final phase."

Lovino noticed Antonio didn't mention what would happen should he lose. Would they leave him behind on the island? Would he even be alive to care? Maybe Antonio would find a way around it somehow and let him stay. It seemed like something the idiot would do. But what would the crew think? _What does it matter? I'm not going to lose to some pathetic human anyway…_

"We need a volunteer," the captain told them- a demand, not a request. "Who will face Lovino?"

The men looked around at each other, some looking uncomfortable, others sneering. No one dared to look at the dragon for more than a second, though. Lovino's eyes were narrowed, golden orbs glinting at the crew members challengingly. He put on an intimidating face, daring someone to prove they were brave enough to fight him. He never realized how much satisfaction could be gained from their hesitation. He felt powerful. He felt feared. Most of the men knew better than to underestimate him, though. They all knew some of what he was capable of, but not everything, no…Lovino knew there was a side of him that they had never seen because he had never been provoked enough to show it to them. If they were lucky, he never would be.

Lovino waited, wondering if he'd win by default, when all of a sudden, one man pushed his way forward. The dragon locked eyes with him and scoffed. Really, he should have known. There weren't many men who had made their hate for him half as clear. Raul glared back at him, standing tall and trying to look menacing before the man smirked slightly.

"I'll fight him! Though only on one condition…"

Antonio raised an eyebrow.

"And what condition would that be?"

"No fire," Raul said, curling his lip.

"Heh," Lovino scoffed. "Are you afraid of getting burned, human?"

"Shut up!" the challenger snarled. "A real pirate should be able to fight like a man without having to rely on cheap tricks!"

Lovino fumed.

"I'll hardly need to rely on my flame to beat you, bastard!"

"That's enough," Antonio said commandingly. "Raul, Lovino's fire is a perfectly valid weapon, just like your sword. He shouldn't be banned from using it."

"You're just trying to protect him!" Raul accused, anger in his eyes as he faced his captain. "You know a sword is useless unless you can get close to your opponent."

"Then I suggest you withdraw or find another method of fighting," the other man answered coldly.

The two glared at each other until Lovino finally let out a growl and stepped between them, looking Raul in the eyes with a fierce expression.

"Fine. I won't use it. Let's just get this over with so I can kick your ass and stop your whining."

"Lovino, no. You don't have to give in to him," Antonio told the dragon.

"I'm not giving in to him, dammit! This fight will be over too fast if I just burn him to a crisp, and I was hoping for an actual challenge! This guy will have to do."

"You talk big, dragon," Raul sneered, "but you're nothing more than a little lizard trying to act like a pirate. I'll cut your scales down to size." He took out his sword and pointed it threateningly at Lovino. The dragon glared back at him, trying not to flinch. He hated having swords pointed at him- it brought back such horrible memories- but he wouldn't let himself be intimidated by Raul.

"We'll see who does the cutting," he growled as Antonio came up beside him, pressing the hilt of a sword into his hand. Lovino was surprised to see that the man looked rather pale.

"Be careful, Lovino," he said in a low voice.

The dragon scoffed.

"Like I'm going to lose to him. You don't need to worry about me, bastard."

The captain frowned, but he didn't say anything else. Lovino noticed it was hard for him to be himself when his crew was watching. The dragon guessed it had something to do with keeping his authority and their respect. He gripped the sword tightly, trying to keep his hand from shaking. He really wasn't much of a swordsman. His training with Antonio had served him well, but he doubted he could best every man on the ship. Seriously doubted it…They all had so much more experience.

Lovino stepped further into the middle of the ring, sweat dripping down the back of his neck. All eyes were on him now. He kept his own gaze focused on Raul, though it was hard to ignore the urge to turn back and see what kind of face Antonio was making. He could sense the captain's unease, and that, in turn, only made Lovino feel more nervous, which is why he avoided looking at him altogether.

Raul entered the ring just as boldly. He seemed a lot more confident now that Lovino had agreed not to use fire, but the dragon thought that cocky grin on his face was just fucking annoying. _I'll wipe it right off. You won't be smiling for long, bastard…_

The men were starting a round of cheers and taunts. Most of them seemed to be rooting against him, but Raul wasn't exactly friends with everyone on the ship, and this became clear with the voices that called for him to be mauled. Lovino smirked. The dragon would be all too happy to oblige.

"Are both men ready?" Antonio called.

"There's only one man here," Raul muttered under his breath before shouting, "Si!"

Lovino growled and also raised his voice. "I'm ready!"

"Then START!"

Raul didn't waste any time lunging forward, but Lovino was prepared for him. He stepped out of the way as the larger man swung at him, swinging his own sword in return and just missing the other man's face as he severed a few hairs. Raul's eyes went wide and he staggered back, ashamed that Lovino had come so close to hitting him.

"Bastard!" he snarled and leapt at the dragon again. Lovino blocked his next blow, and the steel of their blades clanged against each other, making the dragon flinch at the loud sound, but Lovino kept his focus. He blocked the next swing and pushed back against Raul, trying to knock the other man off-balance, but Raul stood his ground, laughing at the attempt.

"You're too small for that, idiot!" he taunted. However, Lovino's opponent had sorely underestimated him. Lovino may have been shorter and less powerful in appearance, but his dragon blood gave him the strength of a man twice his size, when he called on it. He could already feel the power strengthening his muscles now, and as he gave a snarl, he took a step forward and pushed with all his reinforced strength, successfully knocking Raul off his feet. The other man fell hard on the sand, blinking in shock and almost rolling out of the way too slowly as Lovino swung down at him.

"Not so full of yourself now, are you, human?" the dragon taunted.

Raul gritted his teeth and wiped at a small cut on his cheek. The men were laughing and ridiculing him, and even though Lovino got a lot of satisfaction out of making Raul look like a fool, he could tell that the idiot was becoming more and more provoked.

"Damned monster," he hissed and leapt to his feet, fist clenched tight as he swung his sword at the dragon again. Lovino blocked him, but his opponent pressed himself close, forcing him to hold his ground. There was a shout of warning from Antonio that Lovino almost ignored. His eyes darted towards the captain for one moment, but they came back to Raul instantly and in the next second, were blinded as the other man threw a fistful of sand in his face. _Fuck!_Lovino staggered back and tried to recover, but Raul wasn't giving him that opportunity. As fast as he could, he lunged at the other man, blade glinting in the torchlight and moving too swiftly for Lovino to stop it. Were the tables about to turn on him now?

"Lovino!" Antonio shouted, and the crew watched excitedly as the first real blood was spilled.

Lovino's eyes widened as he cried out in pain, and he clutched the spot where he had been hit on his right upper arm. He held his sword limply at his side and trembled slightly. He was trying so hard to suppress his fear of blades, but now that his hand was covered in warm blood, he was having a difficult time getting himself to move. _Wake up, dammit!_

Raul sneered. "Liked that, dragon? You can have some more…" He brandished his blade, still spotted red with Lovino's blood. Lovino gasped and staggered backwards, eyes locked on his enemy's sword. This was just like that time…but no! There was no fucking way he was going to let it end the same, dammit! Not here! Not against _this_human.

"Go to hell, bastard!" Lovino snarled, glaring at Raul now. The pirate was unfazed, however. He smirked back at the weakened dragon, leveling his sword at him. His laughter made Lovino bristle in anger.

"Raise your sword, beast. What? You can't do it? Come now, it's not that heavy."

Lovino wanted to tear the man to pieces. He _knew_Lovino couldn't use that arm to fight anymore. Well…the dragon had two arms. Quickly, he tossed the sword into his left hand and held it up, pointing it at Raul's own blade.

Raul only laughed mockingly.

"What's this? Are you left-handed now?" He swung at Lovino, and the dragon reacted just in time to block. It was harder to coordinate his sword with his non-dominant hand, but Lovino had to try. He wouldn't let himself be cut by that blade again. The dragon gritted his teeth and struck back, his blade clanging against Raul's.

"Nice try, dragon." The pirate pushed back hard against him. "But I think it's time we ended this."

Lovino's breath hitched as Raul pulled back suddenly, causing him to stumble. While the dragon struggled to regain his footing, Raul swiped at his hand, leaving a deep cut there. Lovino cried out, but held onto the hilt stubbornly, blood running down his arm. He leapt back and swung his sword as Raul lunged for him, striking the other man's nose. Raul yelled angrily and cursed at the dragon, lip curled back in rage. There was murder in his eyes, but Lovino was too angry and full of adrenaline to care. Though the wound he had inflicted was small, it was a start to the damage he now intended to follow it up with. He ignored the pain in his hand and swung at Raul again, catching him in a lock. Lovino's superior strength gave him the advantage, but Raul was pushing back at him with more strength than the dragon expected. Lovino took a step forward, forcing him to back off a little, but Raul sneered at the dragon's shaking hands and suddenly withdrew, taking all resistance with him, but this time, in addition, he swung at the back of his opponent's head. Lovino ducked quickly, losing his balance and falling face first into the sand. _Dammit!_

Raul kicked Lovino's sword out of his injured hand and pointed his own weapon down at him. The dragon froze, eyes widened in shock. _No…I can't lose!_His heart was pounding as Raul laughed down at him.

"You really thought you could win, _monstruo?_" He leaned down a bit so only Lovino could hear the words he uttered. "There's no way I'd ever let you live. Your very existence is an abomination. Time to send you to hell, demon."

He raised his sword and prepared to deliver the final blow, but just as he brought it down, Lovino rolled out of the way, ignoring Antonio's panicked shouts. Just because he had lost his weapon didn't mean he was defenseless. Quickly, he swung his legs around and made contact with the back of Raul's knees. It was a move he had practiced during combat training and a very effective one, at that. The pirate went tumbling down and Lovino sprang onto his back, pinning him against the sand and quickly drawing a dagger from his belt and pressing it against Raul's neck with a trembling, yet firm hand.

"Looks like you'll be going there before me," he growled, keeping his knees planted firmly on Raul's arms to immobilize them. Raul froze in shock as he felt the cold steel pressed against his skin. There were excited murmurs and shouts of surprise from the men surrounding him. Only Antonio remained quiet, smirking silently as he approached the two.

"Looks like you've been bested, Raul. Well, Lovino? His life is yours to take if you choose. What will you do?"

Lovino glared down at the defeated man beneath him. He felt the pain in his hand and shoulder that his enemy was responsible for. Inside, he was still burning with anger for all the taunts the arrogant man had taken pleasure in baiting him with. And yet, as all the men stood with their gazes set heavily upon him, Lovino finally pulled the dagger away from Raul's throat and rose to his feet.

"Let him keep his pathetic life. There's no reason to cut down our number- it just means more work for the rest of us, dammit. Besides," he added, turning to smirk at the loser mockingly, "I'll enjoy seeing that defeated look on your face for a while longer. Don't forget who gave you your life, human."

Raul bristled and immediately grabbed for his sword.

"I WON'T OWE YOU ANYTHING, BASTARD!" he bellowed and leapt to his feet, charging for Lovino.

Antonio put himself in between them, but Lovino took a step around the captain and opened his mouth, letting loose a stream of flame. Raul let out a cry as the flames engulfed him and fell down onto the beach again, rolling back and forth to extinguish the fire burning his clothing. His crewmates kicked sand on him helpfully.

"Well done, Lovino," the captain chuckled. "Those burns will remind him not to be such a sore loser."

The dragon scoffed.

"He was asking for it…What happens now, bastard? There's still one more thing I have to do, right?"

"Right," Antonio replied with a smile. "But first we need to get you cleaned up.  
><em>Oye! Marinos!<em> Back to the ship! We'll prepare for the last part of the ceremony on the main deck! _Anda!_"

_Ceremony?_Lovino thought tiredly. The blood loss was getting to him, but Antonio was already taking care of that by removing the dragon's shirt and tying it around his shoulder. The captain tore a piece from the already-ruined fabric and wrapped it around Lovino's hand as well.

"Hang in there for a while, Lovi. We'll get you the first aid kit." The dragon groaned, thinking of having that smelly ointment spread on him once again. The crew piled into the rowboats to return to the anchored ship. Before Antonio and Lovino entered theirs, however, the captain leaned close to the dragon's ear and whispered something only he could hear in a low voice warm with approval.

"I'm proud of you."

/

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: Finally, an update! There should be only one more chapter to go after this. Thanks to everyone who's stuck with me so far. I hope you've enjoyed reading about Dragon!Lovi as much as I've enjoyed writing him. Any guess about what the last thing he'll have to do to become a TRUE PIRATE?


	6. Chapter 5: The Ceremony

**Chapter 5: The Ceremony**

It was finally time. Lovino walked out onto the main deck to be greeted by the stares of the entire crew as he made his entrance. The familiar part of the ship didn't look too different. There were a few torches lit to make things visible in the darkness before dawn, but besides that, nothing had changed. And yet, Lovino felt as if he was standing in a new place. Something wasn't the same as before. Maybe it was the way the men were looking at him, like they were noticing that he was there for the first time- that he wasn't just someone who had been rescued out of pity or the Captain's pet, but one of their own. Could it be that he was just imagining it?

"Lovi," Antonio said, coming up behind him and placing one hand gently on his shoulder, "are you ready?"

"I guess so," the dragon replied warily, trying to hide his nervousness. He still wasn't exactly sure what was about to happen in the final part of this ordeal. Antonio had refused to tell him, the bastard. Lovino wasn't the kind who liked surprises. He had come across far too many in his nearly two and a half centuries of life to be very fond. "When are you going to tell me what's going on, dammit?"

"Soon, soon," the captain promised. "How are you feeling? Is your arm okay?"

"I'm fine, bastard," Lovino growled. "You already bandaged my wounds. There's no need for you to keep treating me like a hatchling."

"Just checking," Antonio said with a smile. "You'll be happy to know that you won't actually have to do much for this last thing."

Lovino frowned and raised an eyebrow, a gesture that he had copied from Antonio and other men in the crew (and which he had seen directed at him far too often).

"What do I have to do?"

Antonio pointed as one of his men brought out a barrel and placed it in the center of the deck.

"Just sit there."

Lovino dragged his feet reluctantly as his captain led him over to the "seat" that had been prepared. He didn't like this at all. What was the point of just sitting in the middle of the deck like an idiot while everyone stared at him? Were they going to do something to him while he resisted the urge to fight or run? The dragon snorted, blowing out a puff of smoke through his nose as he glared at those watching him. He'd show them he wasn't afraid. Let them do their worse.

Lovino took a seat on the barrel and watched as Antonio called for the men's attention. It didn't take much to quiet them down. They were already turning their gazes to the captain expectantly.

"Today the sun will rise with a new man in our ranks. Lovino has passed the tests of piracy by proving himself both a capable thief and a formidable fighter. If anyone still wishes to challenge his right to become a member of this crew, speak now."

Every pirate on board remained silent. Even the angry burned Raul bitterly held his tongue, though Lovino didn't miss the hateful glare thrown in his direction. The dragon ignored it and studied each of the men carefully, wondering if anyone would raise his voice. None did, even after another moment of Antonio waiting.

"Very well then," the captain said. "Lovino will now complete his initiation. Bring the supplies."

The dragon watched as a few men brought a torch and some strange tools over. He didn't recognize them and had no way to guess their purpose. As he eyed them nervously, Antonio came up beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't be nervous, Lovi. I won't lie- it'll hurt a bit. But if you go through with it, this crew will have no choice but to accept you, and you really will be one of us."

"Just _what_ are you going to do to me, bastard?" Lovino growled, his patience wearing thin. He couldn't take this anymore. He had to know what was about to happen to him before he could consent to it.

Antonio hesitated, and by the look on his face, Lovino could tell that he was still hesitant to tell him the details of the procedure his men were preparing for the dragon. Finally, the captain sighed and gave the other his best reassuring smile.

"You're going to be marked, Lovi. Just like every other man here."

Antonio stepped back and removed his coat and shirt. Then, turning around, he exposed one distinct tattoo on his shoulder blade. It was a cross with a message written in an elegant hand that Lovino couldn't understand. Lower, on his hip stood an eagle struck by an arrow. The dragon didn't know what it meant, but he figured it must have been symbolic somehow. Maybe Antonio was the only one who understood. There was one more strange marking on the captain. It was a single word on the back of his neck that Lovino couldn't read until Antonio had lifted the ponytail out of the way. _Vive._

Lovino stared at it, frowning. He knew the man had not been born with these marks, but he had never learned how it was done. Did all the other crewmembers really have such strange markings on their bodies?

"So I need to get one of those markings to be accepted?" Lovino scoffed. "You humans are so strange. Fine. Just get it over with. I really don't care."

The dragon tried not to look uneasy as he spoke, but in all honesty, he was still not sure about this. After all he had been through however, it seemed foolish just to quit here. He hadn't robbed a house and fought another pirate for his life only to end up shying away from a silly marking. He wasn't afraid of the pain, and he didn't care much for his human body or what it looked like, so there was no valid reason to refuse.

Lovino took off his shirt and waited. Antonio seemed to be preparing something. Finally, the captain approached him and held something sharp and covered in ink readily in one hand.

"What would you like, Lovi? You can choose the design. Anything you want."

The dragon scoffed.

"I don't care. Just give me…something suitable," he replied, crossing his arms. The pirate's eyes glinted in amusement.

"You want me to choose? Are you sure?"

"I told you I didn't care," Lovino growled. "As long as it's not something stupid, it's fine. Don't make me regret this, dammit."

Antonio nodded, not wanting to cause the other to change his mind. He already knew exactly what would be most appropriate.

"I'm going to put it here, okay?" Antonio asked, touching the left side of Lovino's chest, right over his heart. The dragon gave a slow nod of consent.

The first jab of pain made Lovino flinch. He growled beneath his breath, but kept himself from spitting fire. It hurt like hell, but the dragon gritted his teeth and endured the pain. It felt like forever before Antonio had finished, and the skin around the marking was bright red by the time he was done. Lovino looked down at his chest to examine the image. It was a black dragon, claws in the air and mouth open, showing off its sharp fangs. Lovino traced a finger close to it, staring.

"Do you like it?" Antonio asked.

"It's tolerable," Lovino murmured, which was practically a compliment coming from him. A dragon was the only mark that was worthy of him, even if it would also serve as a painful reminder of what he used to be. It could have ended worse, the dragon decided, but it turned out he had thought so too soon.

"There's one more thing you need," his captain said, suddenly looking uneasy again.

"Whatever it is, you're sure acting like I'm not going to like it," Lovino growled suspiciously.

"It will hurt, too," Antonio replied honestly, "but only for a moment."

"What is it?"

"This," the captain said, bringing one finger up to flick the gold earring hanging from his earlobe. "To give you one, I need to make a hole."

Lovino leaned away from him, biting back a protest. The crew was watching him intently. Some of them seemed amused by the reluctance on his face. The dragon glared at them, blowing smoke out of his nose again in anger. He didn't want the stupid piercing! But it was such an insignificant thing once he got over the revolting idea of having a hole made in him.

"Do it," he huffed. "Fast."

It wouldn't really matter once it was over, he attempted to convince himself. If this is what it took to earn the respect he deserved, then fine. Anything the rest of the crew had was not too much for him. He could handle this-

"FUCK!" Lovino roared, too busy thinking to realize Antonio had just stabbed him through the ear with a hot needle. He opened his mouth in surprise and pain and let a burst of fire stream across the deck, nearly destroying part of the ship. A few pirates scattered, even though they hadn't truly been in danger of getting hit. The captain himself staggered back a few steps and frowned at the dragon.

"Be careful, Lovi!"

"You just poked a fucking hole through my ear!" Lovino snarled, whirling around to face him. "You think I was supposed to just sit calmly through, that? Bastard!"

The dragon reached up to touch his earlobe, but stopped. The area was still throbbing in pain. It would just take some time to heal. It certainly wasn't the worst wound Lovino had ever had. He snorted out another puff of smoke and crossed his arms, calming down.

"So what now?"

"Now?" Antonio asked, trying very hard not to look like he was about to run for cover. "Now you're a pirate!"

Lovino wasn't expecting the Spaniard to grab a hold of his hand and raise it in the air.

"Welcome to the crew!"

Suddenly, several shouts erupted across the deck. Lovino's eyes widened. They were cheering- for him. They were acknowledging him. They were accepting him as one of their own. The dragon realized that part of him had never though it possible, but here it was, in front of his own eyes.

Of course, not everyone was happy. Raul and a few other men stayed silent, not offering any sort of welcome or congratulations. Fuck if Lovino cared. He didn't need their approval. He had passed the tests he had been given and earned his place on this ship. If a few bastards couldn't accept it, that was their problem.

The short time remaining until the dawn was full of celebration. Lovino felt as if the men on the ship were having a better time than he was- full of rum and starting up the horrible singing that came with it. The dragon would have rather gone away and hidden in Antonio's den, but the captain insisted that he stay and wait for the sunrise. They waited together on the upper part of the deck while the crew sang drunkenly below them, tempting Lovino more than once to see if his flames would add a dance to their merriment. Antonio chuckled, as if guessing what the dragon was thinking, and Lovino soon felt a hand settle on his shoulder.

"Don't mind them. They'd celebrate anything to get more than their share of rum…but today_ is_ special, Lovi. You're truly one of us now- a real pirate. And I'm glad to call you part of my crew."

He ran a hand over the dragon's hair, much to Lovino's protest. Lovino pushed the man's hand away and bared his teeth at him, but it was mostly just to cover up his own embarrassment and secretly growing pride. He had never thought he'd want to join with these pirates. It hadn't been his choice to come here, yet he had chosen to stay…at least for now. The dragon took a wistful glance at the sky. Was the start of a new life here the end of his old one? This human body had been his prison for longer than he cared to acknowledge, but everything still felt so different and new. So far he had found it difficult, if not impossible to accept that there might really be no going back, that all of this was...permanent. _Maybe I'll never get used to being this way…I know I don't want to. _There was still a hidden hope that his state was only temporary. He'd find a way to break this curse, and then, he'd return to his proper form- that of a strong, proud dragon. The way he belonged.

"Don't get used to it, bastard. I'm here for now, and I can tolerate living among your unsightly excuse for a clan…but as soon as I'm free from this curse, I'll have a new path to follow. As if your lousy ship has enough room for a dragon anyway. You'd have to build a fucking bigger one."

There was a heavy silence that followed, and the way Antonio stared at Lovino made the dragon uneasy, very quickly.

"W-what, dammit?"

"Lovi…did you just make a joke?"

"I- what? NO!"

"Yes! Yes, you did!"

The first rays of daylight finally did shine themselves down on the ship's newest member- but even the sun was hardly as bright as the fire that spewed from Lovino's mouth as the jeering captain ran to save his clothes and skin from the burns that were sure to follow. Below, most of the men had fallen asleep, bottles still in hand, and those that were awake had the unhappy task of cleaning all the wreckage that was left behind from the dragon's rampage. Keeping such a creature on board would bring both risks and benefits, not all of which the crew was even aware of. One thing was certain, though: life on the ship would never be the same again- but for pirates well accustomed to change, that was hardly a surprise at all.

**The End**

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Finally, the conclusion! Sorry this took so long to wrap up. I hope you enjoyed the story. I might write another fic for Dragon!Lovi someday, but for now, I'll probably try something new. Comments and constructive criticism are greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading!  
><strong>

**Check out my profile for extras for this story, including fanart.  
><strong>


End file.
